A lot of planning and decision-making goes into Walt Disney World vacation. One of the big decisions that Guests now need to make is if they will use Genie+. This is a paid feature found within the My Disney Experience app.
The cost for Genie+ fluctuates based on crowd levels. The price for Genie+ ranges from $15 to $35 per person per day. By purchasing Genie+, Guests receive access to the Lightning Lanes to over 40 attractions across the four Disney Parks.
Once purchased, Guests can begin making their Genie+ selections at 7:00 am via the app. Guests are then given an hour of return time when they can head to the booked experience and use the Lightning Lane for a shorter wait.
A little planning needs to go into your purchase to get the most out of your investment. Not all Genie+ selections are created equal. Some experiences will book up early in the day. To ensure a good strategy, we will share how you should prioritize your Genie+ selections in the four Disney Parks.
These are the attractions that, if they are essential to you, making a Genie+ selection for them early in the day will be essential.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
We will start with Disney Park, which might only sometimes need Genie+. With fewer attractions, Disney’s Animal Kingdom could be experienced without purchasing Genie+. If you choose to utilize this feature, you will still are a few rides you will want to prioritize.
Related: How to Tour Disney’s Animal Kingdom Without Genie+
If using Genie+ in Disney’s Animal Kingdom, there are two rides that we would focus on. Both Kilimanjaro Safari and Na’vi River Journey see long lines throughout the day. As they ride, the whole family can enjoy together; it is a good use of Genie+.
Everyone will enjoy seeing the many animals as they want on their safari ride. Using Genie+ can help ensure you can experience the ride earlier or later in the day when the animals will be more active out on the savanna.
Na’vi River Journey is a classic dark boat ride through the bioluminescent rainforest of Pandora. Although it isn’t super exciting, it is a beautiful ride. We enjoy riding it but like using Genie+ to skip the typically long standby lines because it is so short.
EPCOT
In EPCOT, Guests have to narrow their focus to determining where they will use their Genie+ investment. Like with Disney’s Animal Kingdom, EPCOT doesn’t have a lot of rides which means those available see longer lines throughout the day.
Using Genie+ can be a great way to see some of the top rides in EPCOT, but knowing how to prioritize them is also crucial. If Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure and Frozen Ever After are essential to your group, these two rides must be your top selection in the morning. Both of them continue to see long wait times throughout the day.
If you have thrill seekers in your group, the other ride that is a good choice for Genie+ is Test Track. There is a single-rider option for Test Track, but if you have a group that would like to ride together, using Genie+ can lower your wait time drastically.
Those are the top three rides that should be prioritized in EPCOT with Genie+. Remember, the newest ride, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, can only be experienced through purchasing an Individual Lightning Lane or joining the virtual queue.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
There are a lot of E-ticket attractions at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, making using Genie+ somewhat tricky. If you are traveling with a group that can ride Slinky Dog Dash, this family-friendly coaster should be your top selection in the morning.
If you are not rushing to Slinky Dog Dash, you can look into using Genie+ for Millennium Falcon Smugglers Run. This is a trendy ride as Guests hope to fly the biggest hunk of junk.
Other good options are Twilight Zone Tower of Terror for thrill seekers or Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway for the whole family. Disney’s Hollywood Studios has a lot of top attractions, so you will need to prioritize what is essential to your group and use that to guide your Genie+ selections for the day.
Magic Kingdom
The Disney Park where Genie+ is the most beneficial is Magic Kingdom. There are so many rides, shows, and attractions with Genie+ that it is a great tool to experience a lot with lower waits.
Peter Pan’s Flight continues to be one of the attractions that see Genie+ book up quickly at Magic Kingdom. If this classic ride is a must-do for your family, select it early in the day. Wait times remain extended throughout the day, and being a shorter ride, using Genie+ is a great way to experience it with a shorter wait.
Surprisingly, Jungle Cruise is the next ride we recommend prioritizing with Genie+ in Magic Kingdom. This boat ride has seen long lines throughout the day. Since it takes longer to load and unload, the wait doesn’t move extremely fast, making it a tough, hot line throughout the day. Use Genie+ to bypass that long line and enjoy a nice boat ride on Jungle Cruise.
When looking at other great options for Genie+ rides, we recommend popular classics such as Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean, Big Thunder Mountain, and it’s a Small World.
There are a lot of choices when it comes to attractions in Magic Kingdom for Genie+. This is nice because it gives you a lot of opportunities to use this feature throughout the day.
Genie+ is a great feature that allows Guests to bypass longer standby lines, giving them more time to experience other magical things.
Related: What to Know About Genie+ in 2024
Related: Genie+ Tips I Wish I Knew Before My Trip
